Time to be back OUTSIDE! (Enclosure reccomendations)

[Grace-Sophia]

FINALLY, the weather here in Tx is starting to warm up just enough that I can bring Tulip my almost 2-year-old Red Foot outside! Currently, her outdoor space is about 12 ft by 4ft but I plan to expand that when she gets larger (shes only 6 1/2 inches) and I have big plans to build her a little pool and plant LOTS of luscious Rainforest type plants for her. I will say that her enclosure does only get partial sun because since she is a rainforest non-basking- species, I wanted to make sure that she only gets a little bit of sun so she doesn't bake in the Texas heat while still getting nutrient-rich vitamens from the sun like UV and Vt D. That being said, I need recommendations, I need some plants that are all tortoise safe (and nibble safe) as well as food that may even be able to produce crop, like a hibiscus bush. Also, what is the best soil to use that will keep humidity in while being safe for her and nutritious for plants all at the same time? I would like to refrain from manure as that can't be good for them, right? Also if you have an RF, please let me know how you keep humidity for them outdoors as well as post the pics of YOUR enclosures for your torts, love to see em'! Thanks guys!

 

[Tom]

At 6.5 inches, your tortoise is ready for a large space now. I wouldn't wait.

I want you to know what you are talking about when you talk to other people about turtles and tortoises. We all love you here, and you can be a great tortoise ambassador. They don't get vitamins or nutrients from the sun. Those come from food. What they get from the sun is warmth and UVB. When UV of the right spectrum hits warm turtle or tortoise skin, it allows them to generate vitamin D3. D3 is needed for them to metabolize dietary calcium and use it for their bodily processes. Excess D3 can be stored in their bodies for later use, and they can also get D3 from their diet.

There are several types of Hibiscus that should work for you including, lavatera, blue hibiscus, African hibiscus, rose of Sharon, and all the regular ones of all the different colors. Just be careful about the source of your plants. Anything bought at a store will be full of systemic pesticides that are taken up into the plant's tissues and cannot be removed. It takes about a year for the toxins to dissipate. Best to grow them from seed or cuttings from mature plants near you.

You can also plant gazanias, nasturtiums, pansies and sooooo many more.

How about spineless opuntia? Grape vines, mulberry trees? You can feed them kudzu leaves if that grows in your area. The best foods are the weeds that occur naturally. Dandelions, plantain, sow thistle, clover, so many more.

I use the native dirt in my enclosures. No need to bring in soil or substrate. I wouldn't let the tortoise have access to any soil, but you can use some down in the hole when you plant plants.

 

[EricW]

Plants will help trap humidity, so planting some bushes and grasses and keeping moist underneath will trap the humidity and your Redfoot can choose accordingly to what they desire. Do not wet under every plant so they can have a choice and the dryer areas will be cooler when it seeks a cooler area.

What part of Texas? Doesn't need to be town or city. Southeast, Central, gulf coast, northeast, etc.? The reason I ask what part is because humidity levels in part of the state are sufficient.

Coreopsis (Tickseed) is a good choice for Texas. There are many kinds. Most of the native ones are evergreen in nearly the whole state, can handle a lot of beat down, and complete safe to eat.

 

[LJL1982]

FINALLY, the weather here in Tx is starting to warm up just enough that I can bring Tulip my almost 2-year-old Red Foot outside! Currently, her outdoor space is about 12 ft by 4ft but I plan to expand that when she gets larger (shes only 6 1/2 inches) and I have big plans to build her a little pool and plant LOTS of luscious Rainforest type plants for her. I will say that her enclosure does only get partial sun because since she is a rainforest non-basking- species, I wanted to make sure that she only gets a little bit of sun so she doesn't bake in the Texas heat while still getting nutrient-rich vitamens from the sun like UV and Vt D. That being said, I need recommendations, I need some plants that are all tortoise safe (and nibble safe) as well as food that may even be able to produce crop, like a hibiscus bush. Also, what is the best soil to use that will keep humidity in while being safe for her and nutritious for plants all at the same time? I would like to refrain from manure as that can't be good for them, right? Also if you have an RF, please let me know how you keep humidity for them outdoors as well as post the pics of YOUR enclosures for your torts, love to see em'! Thanks guys!

So take a look at the Tortoise Table Plant Database online...its also now available as an app and tells you how often or not your tortoise should have access to a plant...very easy to use.

I'm not massively familiar with where RFs are from but know they can tolerate some fruit...but rainforest sounds nice, but alternatively most tortoises like succulents and cacti...though that would suggest arid not himid like RF need...

I suppose very much depends on your area, my garden is only sand so weeds are my go to!! I have a massive hawkbit by my front door and keep having to explain why I have a weed prode of place!

 

[LJL1982]

At 6.5 inches, your tortoise is ready for a large space now. I wouldn't wait.

I want you to know what you are talking about when you talk to other people about turtles and tortoises. We all love you here, and you can be a great tortoise ambassador. They don't get vitamins or nutrients from the sun. Those come from food. What they get from the sun is warmth and UVB. When UV of the right spectrum hits warm turtle or tortoise skin, it allows them to generate vitamin D3. D3 is needed for them to metabolize dietary calcium and use it for their bodily processes. Excess D3 can be stored in their bodies for later use, and they can also get D3 from their diet.

There are several types of Hibiscus that should work for you including, lavatera, blue hibiscus, African hibiscus, rose of Sharon, and all the regular ones of all the different colors. Just be careful about the source of your plants. Anything bought at a store will be full of systemic pesticides that are taken up into the plant's tissues and cannot be removed. It takes about a year for the toxins to dissipate. Best to grow them from seed or cuttings from mature plants near you.

You can also plant gazanias, nasturtiums, pansies and sooooo many more.

How about spineless opuntia? Grape vines, mulberry trees? You can feed them kudzu leaves if that grows in your area. The best foods are the weeds that occur naturally. Dandelions, plantain, sow thistle, clover, so many more.

I use the native dirt in my enclosures. No need to bring in soil or substrate. I wouldn't let the tortoise have access to any soil, but you can use some down in the hole when you plant plants.

Mulberry!! That's the one I forget and is a best grower in the UK...jumping on someone else's thread but that's going straight in my garden!

 

[Tom]

Mulberry!! That's the one I forget and is a best grower in the UK...jumping on someone else's thread but that's going straight in my garden!

Great tortoise food. It thrives here in our dry hot climate, and I use the non-fruiting varieties in my tortoise pens. Great shade in our scorching hot 40C summers, and full sun in our cool winters when the leaves drop off.

 

[EricW]

I'm not massively familiar with where RFs are from but know they can tolerate some fruit...but rainforest sounds nice, but alternatively most tortoises like succulents and cacti...though that would suggest arid not himid like RF need...

Surprisingly there are quite a few rainforest and temperate forest succulents and cacti. However, not all are edible. Thanksgiving cactus is one such succulent from the Brazilian rainforest that you may be familiar with.

Optunia (prickly pear) has 6 species that range across the southern humid climate and a few that range up in the northeast. Map of all native Optunia species in the US by county.